Ice tray and grid therefor



Feb. ,19, 1963 R. E. DEUTGEN ICE TRAY AND GRID THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1960 v 'INVENTOR. BY/iZ/mu 47m (LOW QWW/ZMV 2 Sheer.s. 2

R. E. DEUTGEN ICE TRAY AND GRID THEREFOR Filed F 1' 60 INVENTOR. By f wry K Alrtieboiaget Electrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Feb. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 6,010 Claims priority, application Sweden Feb. 5, 1959 2 Ctaims. (Cl. 62-369) My invention relates to ice trays and grid structures for use in household refrigerators.

It is an object or" the invention to provide an improved ice tray and flexible grid structure therefor from which ice pieces are loosened in such a manner that any desired number of ice pieces can be removed at will without disturbing the remaining ice piecess. I accomplish this by providing a shallow open-top tray and a one-piece partitioned grid structure therefor in which ice pieces are produced in compartments of prismoidal shapehaving trapezoidal lateral faces, some of the compartments increasing in horizontal cross-section from the bottom to the top edges of the partitioning and other compartments increasing in horizontal cross-section from the top to the bottom edges of the partitioning.

The invention, together with the objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and of which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an ice tray and grid structure embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the left-hand part of the grid structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken on lines 44 and 5-5, respectively, of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the grid structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tray in which it is adapted to be positioned being indicated diagrammatically by dotted lines.

Referring to FIG. 1, a grid structure 10* is shown positioned in a shallow tray 11 having a resilient flat bottom 12 and outwardly sloping side and end walls 14 and 15, respectively. sheet metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel, for example, and about the upper edges of the side walls is provided an outwardly extending flange 16.

The grid structure 10 comprises a plurality of spaced transverse walls or cross partitions 17 .which extend be-.

tween the longitudinal side walls 14 of the tray 11. Between the cross partitions 17 are arranged a plurality of spaced aligned walls 18 which form longitudinal partitions extending between the end walls of the tray 11. The grid structure it) may be formed of a suitable plastic material, such as polyethylene, for example. In this way the grid structure It may be molded in one piece with the cross partitions 17 and longitudinal partitions is integrally joined and united at the regions they intersect one another.

The cross partitions 17, which are of substantially uniform thickness through their vertical height from the flat bottom 12 to the flange 16 of tray 11, are inclined to the vertical. Although I do not wish to be limited thereto, I prefer to form the grid structure 10 with the cross partitions i7 inclined to the vertical at an acute angle of about 20 to degrees when the grid is horizontal. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the cross partitions 17 are at an acute angle of about 23 to the vertical, as indicated in FIG. 2.

In accordance with my invention, the intersecting par- The tray 11 may be formed of a suitable 3,9?7,748 Patented Feb. 19, 1953 ice titions 17 and 18 of grid structure it} are so constructed and arranged that ice pieces may be produced in compartments defined by the partitions which are of prismoidal shape having trapezoidal lateral faces, some of the compartments increasing in horizontal cross-section from the bottom to the top edges of the intersecting partitions and other compartments increasing in horizontal cross-section from the top to the bottom edges of the intersecting partitions when the grid is horizontal.

The end cross partitions 17a and 17 slope from the end walls 15 of the tray 11 to form end compartments which are of trapezoidal shape in longitudinal section, as seen in FIG. 2, the compartments being longer at the top than at the bottom of the tray 11. The sections 18a of the longitudinal partitions 18 which project from the end cross partitions 17a and 17 and coact with the side walls 15, taper from their bottom to their top edges in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. Hence, the end compartments in transverse section also are of trapezoidal shape in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4 and are wider at the top than at the bottom.

The compartments formed between the cross partitions 17b1'7c, -170, 17f17g and 17hi7i are shaped similar to the compartments formed between the end cross partitions 17a and 17f and end side walls 15 of the tray 11, as will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4, all such compartments being of prismoidal shape having trapezoidal lateral faces and increasing in horizontal crosssection from the bottom to the top edges of the partitions. All of these compartments, which are of larger cross-section at the top edges than the bottom edges of the cross partitions under consideration, are defined in part by sections 18a of the longitudinal partitions 18 which taper from their bottom to their top edges in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

The compartments formed between the cross partitions 17a-17b, 17c17d, 17e17f, 17g-17h and 17i17j are also of trapezoidal shape in longitudinal section, as seen in FIG. 2, and are longer at the bottom than at the top of the tray 1-1. The sections of the longitudinal partitions between the cross partitions under consideration, which are disposed between the sections 18a, taper from their top to their bottom edges in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5. Hence, the compartments defined in part by the sections 18b of the longitudinal partitions 18 are of trapezoidal shape in transverse section and also are wider at the bottom than at the top of the tray 11, as seen in FIG. 5.

Accordingly, all of the compartments defined in part by sections 18b of the longitudinal partitions 18 are of prismoidal shape having trapezoidal lateral faces and increase in horizontal cross-section from the top to the bottom edges of the partitions.

In using the grid structure It} just described, the grid is positioned in the tray 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the tray is filled with Water to a level slightly below the top edges of the partitions 17 and 18. After the water has been frozen and ice pieces have been produced by placing the tray in a freezing space of a refrigerator, the tray is taken out of the freezing space. By holding the opposite ends of the tray 11 and twisting the latter, suificient deformation or distortion of the tray can be effected to cause the tray 11 to break its bond with the ice. After removal of the grid structure 1% and ice from the tray, each ice piece can be individually loosened from the grid structure by applying force thereto at the small end of the compartment in which it is held. Assuming that ice pieces have been produced in the grid section illustrated in FIG. 3, force can be applied at the region 19 toward the narrow edge of the longitudinal partition section 185 to eilect removal of the ice piece held between the cross partitions 17e and 17f, such separating force being applied in the direction in which the longitudinal partition section 18b tapers. In this way some of the ice pieces are removed from the top ot the grid structure while other ice pieces are removed from the bottom thereof. After the desired number of ice pieces have been separated from the grid structure It), the latter may be positioned in the tray 11 which can be returned to the freezing space without disturbing the remaining ice pieces in the grid structure.

Although I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In ice freezing apparatus, the combination of an open-top rectangularmetal tray having a bottom and outwardly sloping side and end walls, a one-piece molded plastic grid removably positioned in said tray to form therewith several rows of compartments for producing ice pieces therein, all of the compartmentsbeing open at the top and closed at their bottoms only by the bottom of said tray, said grid comprising longitudinal singlewalled partition structure spaced from the side walls of said tray and having outwardly sloping ends coacting with the outwardly sloping end walls of said tray, a plurality of spaced cross partitions which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal partition structure and have outwardlysloping ends coacting with the outwardly sloping side walls of said tray, said cross partitions being single-walled and intersecting the longitudinal singlewalled partition structure, the top and bottom edges of adjacent cross partitions being separated from one another and substantially flush with the top and bottom edges, respectively, of the longitudinal partition structure, the longitudinal partition structure projecting beyond the end cross partitions, the end cross partitions being inclined to the vertical with their top edges nearer to one another than their bottom edges, a plurality of pairs of cross partitions between the end cross partitions, the cross partitions of each pair diverging in an upward direction from their separated bottom edges and being inclined to the vertical, the longitudinal partition structure having first sections which extend between each pair of cross partitions and extend beyond the end cross partitions toward the outwardly sloping end walls of said tray and second sections alternating between the first sections which extend between the cross partitions that face one another and are associated with adjacent pairs of cross partitions and extend between the end cross partitions and the cross partitions adjacent thereto, the first sec tions of the longitudinal partition structure tapering from their bottom edges toward their top edges, and thesecond sections of the longitudinal partition structure tapering from their top edges toward their bottom edges.

2. In ice freezing apparatus, the combination of an open-top rectangular metal tray having a bottom and outwardly sloping side and end walls, a one-piece molded plastic grid removably positioned in said tray to form therewith at least three rows of compartments for producing ice pieces therein, all of the compartments being open at the top and closed at their bottoms only by the bottom of said tray, said grid comprising a plurality of spaced longitudinal single wall partitions which are substantially parallel to one another and have outwardly sloping ends coacting with the outwardly sloping end walls of said tray, a plurality of spaced cross partitions which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal partitions and have outwardly sloping ends coacting with the outwardly sloping side walls of said tray, said cross partitions being single-walled and intersecting all of the spaced longitudinal single-walled partitions and projecting beyond the outermost longitudinal partitions and having substantially the same thickness at all regions thereof, the top and bottom edges ofadjacent cross partitions being separated from one another and substantially flush with the top and bottom edges, respectively, of the longitudinal partitions, the longitudinal partitions projecting beyond the end crosspartitions, the end cross partitions being inclined to the vertical with their top edges nearer to oneanother than their bottom edges, a plurality of pairs of cross partitions between the end cross partitions, the cross partitions of each pair diverging in an upward direction from their separated bottom edges and being inclined to the vertical, the longitudinal partitions having first sections which extend between each pair of cross partitionsand extend beyond the end cross partitions toward the outwardly sloping end walls of said tray and second sections alternating between the first sections which extend between the cross partitions that face one another andare associated with adjacent pairs of cross partitions and extend between the end cross partitions and crosspartitions adjacent thereto, the first sections of the longitudinal partitions tapering from their bottom edges toward their top edges, and the second sections of the longitudinal partitions tapering from their top edges toward their-bottom edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,734 Sherer May 5, 1931 1,858,558 Reeves May 17, 1932 2,032,639 Storer Mar. 3, 1936 2,163,705 Saler June 27, 1939 2,168,678 Miner Aug. 8, 1939 2,221,847 Rodgers Nov. 19, 1940 2,574,662 Sampson Nov. 13, 1951 2,642,726 Frei June 23, 1953 2,752,762 Gaugler July 3, 1956 2,785,539 Simmons et al. Mar. 19, 1957 

1. IN ICE FREEZING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF AN OPEN-TOP RECTANGULAR METAL TRAY HAVING A BOTTOM AND OUTWARDLY SLOPING SIDE AND END WALLS, A ONE-PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC GRID REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN SAID TRAY TO FORM THEREWITH SEVERAL ROWS OF COMPARTMENTS FOR PRODUCING ICE PIECES THEREIN, ALL OF THE COMPARTMENTS BEING OPEN AT THE TOP AND CLOSED AT THEIR BOTTOMS ONLY BY THE BOTTOM OF SAID TRAY, SAID GRID COMPRISING LONGITUDINAL SINGLEWALLED PARTITION STRUCTURE SPACED FROM THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID TRAY AND HAVING OUTWARDLY SLOPING ENDS COACTING WITH THE OUTWARDLY SLOPING END WALLS OF SAID TRAY, A PLURALITY OF SPACED CROSS PARTITIONS WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION STRUCTURE AND HAVE OUTWARDLY SLOPING ENDS COACTING WITH THE OUTWARDLY SLOPING SIDE WALLS OF SAID TRAY, SAID CROSS PARTITIONS BEING SINGLE-WALLED AND INTERSECTING THE LONGITUDINAL SINGLEWALLED PARTITION STRUCTURE, THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF ADJACENT CROSS PARTITIONS BEING SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION STRUCTURE, THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION STRUCTURE PROJECTING BEYOND THE END CROSS PARTITIONS, THE END CROSS PARTITIONS BEING INCLINED TO THE VERTICAL WITH THEIR TOP EDGES NEARER TO ONE ANOTHER THAN THEIR BOTTOM EDGES, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF 